Kevin Singer had been a devoted Dungeons & Dragons player ever since he was kid. When the now 33 year-old was handed down a life sentence for first-degree murder, he turned to his D&D books to pass the time. Singer started playing regularly with other inmates until his books, and a 96 page campaign he had written were confiscated based on an anonymous tip from another inmate that him and the three other inmates had formed a “gang” focused around playing the game.

Singer was told by prison officials that he could not keep his books & magazines because D&D “promotes fantasy role playing, competitive hostility, violence, addictive escape behaviors, and possible gambling.” The policy was expanded later to include all fantasy games.

Singer appealed the punishment, but the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against him stating that “punishment is a fundamental aspect of imprisonment, and prisons may choose to punish inmates by preventing them from participating in some of their favorite recreations.”